Sudden and gradual land use changes can result in different socio-ecological systems, sometimes referred to as regime shifts. The Lao PDR (Laos) has been reported to show early signs of such regime shifts in land systems with potentially major socio-ecological implications. However, given the complex mosaic of different land systems, including shifting cultivation, such changes are not easily assessed using traditional land cover data. Moreover, regime shifts in land systems are difficult to simulate with traditional land cover modelling approaches.

In this article the author has aimed a study on F.A.O. regarding historical aspects of formation F.A.O. as a specialized agency of the UN, analysis directions of its activity, its main functions etc. The author also aims to examine specific issues related to cooperation between F.A.O. and Moldova, directions and areas of cooperation, the development of these relations, the legislation which materializes the legal relations of collaboration and the benefits they had the Republic of Moldova as a result of collaboration with F.A.O.

The paper analyzes the provision with spatial information and the mode of its use in rural municipalities. The purpose of this study is to examine the ensurance with spatial information about natural capital within the ATU. The study examines the content and issues faced by local authorities while collecting and managing spatial information . There are given some proposals on the development of the Information System of the locality.

After the severe droughts in the 1970s and 1980s, and subsequent debates about desertification, analyses of satellite images reveal that the West African Sahel has become greener again. In this paper we report a study on changes in tree cover and tree species composition in three village landscapes in northern Burkina Faso, based on a combination of methods: tree density change detection using aerial photos and satellite images, a tree species inventory including size class distribution analysis, and interviews with local farmers about woody vegetation changes.

We propose a causal analysis framework to increase understanding of land-use change (LUC) and the reliability of LUC models. This health-sciences-inspired framework can be applied to determine probable causes of LUC in the context of bioenergy. Calculations of net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for LUC associated with biofuel production are critical in determining whether a fuel qualifies as a biofuel or advanced biofuel category under regional (EU), national (US, UK), and state (California) regulations.

An urgent need to stop degradation is frequently cited as support for climate mitigation efforts involving forests. However, lessons learnt from social science research on degradation narratives are not taken into consideration. This creates a risk of problematic degradation narratives being used to legitimise forest carbon projects. This study examined a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) forest plantation in Uganda, where incomplete and partly contradictory evidence on land use change was interpreted in a way that overemphasised degradation.

El objetivo de este estudio es realizar una revisión teórica y empírica de los procesos de mitigación y adaptación al cambio climático en áreas urbanas enfocándose en América Latina. De acuerdo con los resultados recientes de la Conferencia de las Partes (COP 21, por sus siglas en inglés) en París, se espera que muchas ciudades en América Latina y de otras partes del mundo preparen planes de acción climática. Sin embargo, de acuerdo con la con la revisión realizada, no existen muchas ciudades en la región que tengan planes consistentes con un fundamento técnico solido.

The « Environment and Natural Resources Code of Cambodia » (Sixth Draft – – 20 November 2016) is a very extensive proposed law (535 pages !) which will have, if adopted, major impacts on many aspects of Cambodian development (Mines, Energy, Urban planning, etc..) but is particularly important for the management of Protected Areas and of Forests and Fisheries. The code has been elaborated by a panel of experts and several working groups led by Vishnu Law Group. A public national consultation has been organized by MOE in Dec 2016.

The rising global population has increased the demand for food, renewable energy and other materials. Yet at the same time to meet this demand requires land and the amount of available land is finite. Considering the importance of land and ecosystems in providing benefits for human, I conducted four independent research on the socio-economic and biophysical aspects of ecosystem service, in Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.

Dit proefschrift bestudeert de effecten van landgebruiksveranderingen uit het verleden en in de toekomst op neerslag in Nederland door middel van analyses van gemeten regendata en het gebruik van een weermodel.

De bodem is niet alleen letterlijk de grond onder ons bestaan, ze is dat ook figuurlijk. Vruchtbare bodems leveren ons bijvoorbeeld voedsel, water en grondstoffen, maar ook een heel scala aan andere ecosysteemdiensten. In één theelepel zwarte grond leven meer organismen dan er mensen zijn op de hele aarde. Ze zorgen ervoor dat planten gebruik kunnen maken van de voedingsstoffen in de bodem en in een gezonde bodem krijgen ziekteverwekkers ook minder kans. Nu we steeds beter begrijpen hóe ze dat doen, kunnen wij zelfs nieuwe antibiotica vinden in de bodem!

Uit onderzoek in 2010 blijkt dat het gemeten stikstofleverend vermogen van veengraslanden varieert tussen 170 en 340 kg N per ha, en dat de verhouding tussen calcium (Ca) en magnesium (Mg) in de bodem hier een belangrijke voorspeller voor is. In het kader van het project ‘Bodemindicatoren voor duurzaam bodemgebruik in de veenweiden’ hebben het Louis Bolk Instituut, het Veenweiden Innovatiecentrum en WUR-Alterra onderzocht of er ook een oorzakelijk verband is tussen de Ca/Mg-verhouding en het stikstofleverend vermogen.